Pillow type speaker support



Dec. 6, 1966 B. MAJOROS 3,290,450

PILLOW TYPE SPEAKER SUPPORT Filed Dec. 21, 1962 INVENTOR I BA RNA MA J 0/?05 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,290,450 PILLOW TYPE SPEAKER SUPPORT Barna Majoros, 705 N. 27th St., Billings, Mont. Filed Dec. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 246,455 6 Claims. (Cl. 179 -146) This invention relates to a device 'forincreasing the enjoyment of listening to stereophonic sounds. More specifically, the invention relates to a means for supporting a pair of speakers in a resilient member.

The invention described herein has as one of its principal objectives the support and arrangement of speakers whereby they adjust themselves to the bone structure of a users head when placed thereon.

Another important objective of this invention is to provide a dual speaking system in a foam rubber pillow- .like support such that when a users head is placed on the support, the channels of sound are respectively directed toward the mastoid areas of the users head. Since the speakers are supported in a single body of flexible foam rubber or other unicellular mass of like character and arranged for the axes of sound to strike the head just behind the ears, an acoustic phenomena results which is most pleasing and relaxing to a listener.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a delightful listening effect from a stereo system without the necessity of moving cumbersome equipment such as chairs and speaker apparatus. The structure of the instant invention may be used equally well while relaxing in a'chair, a sofa, or in a bed.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a dual speaker arrangement in which the channel of sound from each speaker intersects the bone structure of the users head prior to intersecting each other, or entering the ears of the user.

Another important objective of the invention is to provide a speaker support for the enjoyment of musical and other sounds by mounting the speakers in a pillow-like support such that the acoustic characteristics of the room, unwanted outside street noises, plumbing and heating disturbances do not appreciably effect the sounds to which auser is listening.

After a reading of the more specific description below, it will be understood that the apparatus of this invention is peculiarly adaptable for the transmission of background music for waiting rooms, hospitals, airplanes, hotel lobbies and the like. It will also be apparent that the apparatus may conveniently be used in conjunction with memory training techniques in which repetitive knowledge is given to the hearing channels while one is sleeping.

These and other important objectives and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood upon a reading of the following specifications taken in view of the attached drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view; and

FIGURE 2 is an elevation view showing the direction of the sound axes when the pillow is in use.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like elements, the numeral 10 indicates generally the subject matter of this invention. A foam rubber pil low 12 is comprised of an upper section 14 and a lower section 16 which are sealed along their mating surfaces 18. The sections 14 and 16 are hollowed at opposing places along their mating surfaces forming a pair of support chambers 20 and 22. Those portions of the chambers in upper section 14 are substantially conical and those portions of the chambers in lower section 16 are substantially cylindrical.

Supported respectively within the chambers 20 and 22 are a pair of speakers 24 and 26 having their axes of sound 28 and 30 generally parallel to each other and approximately normal to the pillows upper surface 32 when the pillow is in its relaxed or unflexed condition. A pair of leads 34 and 36 connected to the speakers lead to a stereo or other sound reproducer of conventional construction.

The axes of sound of the speakers 24 and 26 are spaced from one another a distance slightly greater than the side-to-side width of a users head. A reference to FIG. 2 will show that a force exerted by a users head, centrally of the speakers, will cause the channels or axes of sound 28 and 30 to be directed toward the bone structure of the users head at the mastoid areas which are generally indicated by the numerals 38 and 40. In effect, the foam rubber mass is analgous to a pivoting support for the speakers operable by the weight of a users head.

It can be seen that I have described a support for stereophonic or other speakers which eliminates a discomfort of ear phones, and is particularly adapted for directing the channels of sound at the thin and sound sensitive mastoid areas of a users head which results in an impressive stereo effect having many uses. The apparatus effectively utilizes the bone structure and hollows of the skull to obtain a result heretofore unknown to the art.

In a general manner, while there has been disclosed an effective and efiicient embodiment of the invention, it should be well understood that the invention is not limited to such an embodiment, as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition, and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A device for increasing the enjoyment of listening to stereophonic sounds comprising, a foam-rubber support having an upper surface and first and second interior chambers spaced along the longitudinal length thereof, first and second speakers respectively supported in said chambers and generally following any flexing movement of said support, said speakers having axes of sound generally perpendicular to said upper surface when said support is in an unflexed condition, and said axes intersecting above said upper surface when said support is flexed by a force exerted against said upper surface centrally of said speakers.

2. A device for increasing the enjoyment of listening to stereophonic sound comprising first and second speakers having first and second axes of sound, foam rubber means supporting said speakers in spaced relationship with their axes of sound generally parallel to one another when said means are in an unflexed condition and supporting said speakers with their axes of sound intersecting when said means is flexed centrally of said speakers.

3. A device for increasing the enjoyment of listening to stereophonic sounds comprising, a foam rubber support having an upper surface and first and second interior chambers spaced along the longitudinal length thereof having wall configurations conforming to an acoustic speaker, first and second acoustic speakers respectively supported in said chambers and generally following a flexing movement of said pillow, said speakers having axes of sound generally perpendicular to said surface when said support is in an unflexed condition, and said axes intersecting above said upper surface when said support is flexed by a force exerted against said upper surface centrally of said speakers and wire means leading from each of said speakers to independent sources of sound signals.

4. A device for increasing the enjoyment of listening to stereophonic sounds comprising, a foam rubber pillow having upper and lower surfaces, a head reception area generally centrally of said upper surface, first and second interior chambers'spaced along the longitudinal length of said pillow on either side of said head reception area, first and second speakers having an outside configuration closely approximating the interior configuration of said chambers, respectively supported in said chambers and generally following any flexing movement of said pillow, said speakers having axes extending outwardly through said upper surface of said pillow and said axes intersecting the mastoid areas behind the ears of a user when the back of the head of a user is placed against said head reception area.

57 A device for increasing the enjoyment of listening to stereophonic sounds comprising, a bottom layer of resilient material, a top layer of resilient material parallel to said bottom layer and in face to face engagement therewith along a mating surface, first and second speakers respectively supported between said top and bottom layers having their axes of sound substantially normal to said mating surface and wire means leading from each of said speakers to independent sources of sound signals.

6. A device for increasing the enjoyment of listening to stereophonic sounds comprising a foam rubber support having a head reception area, first and second speakers References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,000,523 5/1935 Knapp 179182 2,501,993 3/1950 Conradt 179-146 X 2,512,641 6/ 1950 Halstead.

2,908,766 10/1959 Taylor 179146 X 3,098,128 7/1963 Audin 179-146 KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM C. COOPER, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR INCREASING THE ENJOYMENT OF LISTENING TO STEREOPHONIC SOUNDS COMPRISING, A FOAM RUBBER SUPPORT HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE AND FIRST AND SECOND INTERIOR CHAMBERS SPACED ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL LENGTH THEREOF, FIRST AND SECOND SPEAKERS RESPECTIVELY SUPPORTED IN SAID CHAMBERS AND GENERALLY FOLLOWING ANY FLEXING MOVEMENT OF SAID SUPPORT, SAID SPEAKERS HAVING AXES OF SOUND GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID UPPER SURFACE WHEN SAID SUPPORT IS IN AN UNFLEXED CONDITION, AND SAID AXES INTERSECTING ABOVE SAID UPPER SURFACE WHEN SAID SUPPORT IS FLEXED BY A FORCE EXERTED AGAINST SAID UPPER SURFACE CENTRALLY OF SAID SPEAKERS. 